Who and what is God? The bible tells us he is
Spirit (John 4:24) with personality natures of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. We as humans can relate to a father, and the son Jesus as He was a man Himself who can relate to our every need. These natures fit in line with our feeble attempt to describe and relate to God. But the Spirit? The one personality of God that is greatly misunderstood and often
incorrectly taught is the Holy Spirit. Who and what He is and how He
intercedes in the Christian’s life. Please note that we say Christian, for the Holy Spirit of God does not indwell or reside in the person who has not obeyed the Gospel culminating with being baptized into Jesus Christ (Gal 3:27) for the remission of sins and the actual receiving of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, 22:16). Let us learn what
Gods Word teaches us as to how the Holy Spirit intercedes in the
disciple’s life.
1) He shows us our need for forgiveness and
faith in Christ
John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will
send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from
the Father, he will bear witness about me."
2) He gives us assurance that we are truly
saved
John 14:20 "In that day you will know that I am in
my Father, and you in me, and I in you."
Romans 8:16-17 "The Spirit himself bears witness with
our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then
heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer
with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."
3) He guarantees our salvation by sealing it
in Christ
Ephesians 1:13-14 "In Him you also trusted, after you
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also,
having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who
is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."
Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of
God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
4) He guides our steps and shows us Gods
will for our lives
Mark 1:12 "Immediately the Spirit drove Him
(Jesus) into the wilderness."
John 16:13-14 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth,
has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on
His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will
tell you things to come. He will glorify Me (Jesus), for He will take
of what is Mine and declare it to you."
Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, these are sons of God."
5) He helps and comforts us as we follow
Gods will
1 Corinthians 2:9-13 “But as it is written: “Eye has not
seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the
things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has
revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all
things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of
a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one
knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have
received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from
God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us
by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom
teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things
with spiritual."
6) He helps us understand and to apply
Scripture to our lives
John 16:12-14 “I still have many things to say to you,
but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth,
has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on
His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will
tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what
is Mine and declare it to you.”
7) He reminds us of Bible verses and
principles we have learned
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom
the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and
bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
8) He convicts us of our sins
John 16:7-11 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It
is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the
Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe
in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no
more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged."
9) He gives us power to accomplish Gods will
Zechariah 4:6 “So he answered and said to me: “This is
the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My
Spirit, Says the Lord of hosts.”
Acts 10:44 “While Peter was still speaking these
words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.”
1 Thessalonians 1:5 “For our gospel did not come to you in
word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much
assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your
sake.”
10) He helps us in sharing the gospel with
others
John 15:27 “And you also will bear witness, because
you have been with Me from the beginning.”
Acts 1:7-8 “And He said to them, “It is not for you
to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own
authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
11) He provides us with the gifts we need to
serve
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 “There are diversities of gifts, but the
same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who
works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to
each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of
wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through
the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another
gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of
miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to
another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of
tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things,
distributing to each one individually as He wills.”
NOTE: The miraculous gifts such as healings, speaking and interpretation of tongues, prophecy and the like are no longer active after the death of the last Apostle. These were poured out by God in the first century to establish the church during its transitory period prior to the New Testament being fully assembled and printed for mankind. Please see the lesson on "Termination of Spiritual Gifts here.
12) He produces spiritual fruit and
character within us
Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are
Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If
we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
13) He helps us pray by expressing our
feelings and thoughts to God
Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our
weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning’s
which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what
the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the
saints according to the will of God.” (more on the Spirits intersession here)
14) He searches our hearts for hurts and
hindrances
Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try
me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.”
Hebrews 9:14 “…how much more shall the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot
to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living
God?
Titus 3:5-7 “…not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He
poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that
having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according
to the hope of eternal life.
15) He transforms us into the likeness of
God’s Son
Ezekiel 36:26-27 “I will give you a new heart and put a new
spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh
and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and
cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and
do them.”
Romans 8:27-29 “Now He who searches the hearts knows what
the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the
saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined
to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the
firstborn among many brethren.”
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled
face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being
transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the
Spirit of the Lord.”
Narrated video version of above. Notes courtesy of brother Douglas Downs
Preaching Minister, 2014
By Douglas Downs - 2014
By Wayne Jackson
This video lesson on Romans 8:26-27 gets into the actual nuts and bolts as to how the Holy Spirit intercedes in the daily life of the disciple, and how He communicates in the Godhead! You don't want to miss this one...
Romans 8:26-27
“And in like manner the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning’s which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
